MANAGER Dave Watson is bracing Tranmere Rovers for a second encounter within a week with an awakening force in the second division.

MANAGER Dave Watson is bracing Tranmere Rovers for a second encounter within a week with an awakening force in the second division.

Tranmere were on the receiving end on Tuesday as Wigan Athletic at last showed some signs of their true potential in securing a 2-1 win at Prenton Park.

And tomorrow Tranmere travel to Ninian Park to take on Cardiff City, another of the bookmakers' pre-season promotion favourites.

Cardiff started the campaign as unconvincing as Wigan but back-to-back away victories at Swindon and Port Vale inside four days this week sent out an ominous message to their rivals.

Watson was among those who watched Cardiff's 2-0 win at Vale Park on Wednesday and he says: "They produced some good stuff on the night.

"It's taken Cardiff time to get going in the league because everyone was expecting them and Wigan to be right up there from the start.

"But they seem to be finding their feet now. They have spent a few bob on players and that's where the quality comes from."

Watson sees home-produced front man Bob Earnshaw and midfielder Graham Cavanagh, signed from Stoke this summer as two of the dangermen his defence must work to nullify.

The bookmakers rate the promotion prospects of Wigan and Cardiff because the owners of both clubs are prepared to invest their money in building success.

At Wigan the driving force is Dave Whelan, multi-millionaire owner of the JJB Sports retail empire, while at Cardiff Sam Hammam is aiming to repeat the remarkable success he engineered in Wimbledon's rapid rise up the Football League with the Crazy Gang.

Watson warns that Tranmere dare not produce a repeat of their "lightweight" performance on the last away trip which resulted in a 4-1 mauling by Northampton Town.

Says Watson: "I did not see the commitment and will to win at Northampton and we will need both those qualities against Cardiff because it will be a very difficult game for us.

"The attitude has got to be right no matter where and who we play. Maybe one or two of the players thought it might be easy at Northampton, but that was not the case.

"If anyone thinks it will be easy going to Cardiff we will have problems there."

Watson is able to recall Mickey Mellon to the side after the Scot missed the Wigan game through suspension.

Mellon's experienced midfield partners Sean Flynn and Nick Henry should also be available after undergoing treatment for slight knocks yesterday.

There are more serious concerns about Jason Koumas, who is complaining of a lingering back problem and Andy Parkinson who took a painful blow in his side during last Saturday's 1-0 win over Huddersfield.

Meanwhile goalkeeping coach Eric Nixon is on standby for a return to first team duty with Tranmere following his three game comeback with Kidderminster Harriers last week.

Tranmere's current number two keeper John Achterberg will be on the sidelines for around two weeks after suffering a gashed knee during the Reserves' excellent 4-1 win away to Stoke on Wednesday evening.

So Watson must find an alternative to provide net-minding cover from the substitutes bench for first choice shotstopper Joe Murphy.

Tranmere can turn to youth team goalkeeper Andy Ralph but the teenager has had little reserve team experience in recent months.

Meanwhile Nixon's performances for Kidderminster (he conceded just one goal in three games) demonstrated that at the age of 39 he is still a highly-competent performer.

Watson said: "We will have a chat with Nico and it may be a case of getting him to register as a player with us once again.

"He had a good week at Kidderminster and that has tied in quite well with the situation here.

"It would not be a big problem if we had to use him. He's a bit of a showman at the moment but that's nothing new.

"He still has a presence about him when he plays and he's good at talking to the defenders in front of him.

"I played in front of Neville Southall for many years and if you have someone on the case all the time it does help the defenders."